Making A Six
There are 16 Cubs running around, and you have to break them into smaller groups to help manage them a little easier. You know that Johnny and Sam are good friends and play well, but you’ve noticed that they’ve taken a shining to Frankie. Harry is a bit of a trouble maker, and Sally is proud and independent. It’s not easy to divide Cubs into Six’s, but here are my general rules of thumb.
A Six from 1st Maple Scouts
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The natural born leaders are picked for Six’s and that’s your base. Who is being helpful? Who is keen to watch you for cues? Who can follow instructions? These are the Cubs that deserve and will do excellent as a Sixer. I don’t use the theory of Third years as Sixer’s because often you’d be surprised what happens when you make a promising first year a Sixer and how it changes the dynamic in the pack.
The one that follows the Six is typically who becomes their 2nd. Why? The other Cubs will follow the Seconder who is just following the Sixer. They often will be able to help complete simple tasks and be able to also fill in for the Sixer when they aren’t able to attend Cubs.
Next, place your difficult Cubs with strong Sixers. This will keep the Sixer on their toes and engaged while working on their leadership. How do you deal with someone who isn’t paying attention? What gets them working as part of the team? Often, Cubs figure these ticks out about their peers far quicker than Scouters. It also helps in the self-policing in the Pack, making the Scouter’s job far easier.
Finally, keep friends and siblings in separate Sixes. This helps to build a culture as the Six’s complete tasks. Johnny and Sam still see each other, but they have more fun during free time sharing what they each experienced at different times. Plus, why would a Cub want to be in a Six with their sibling? I know from personal experience I loved doing things different than my sisters. This is the closest we can get to achieving this.
How do you separate your Cubs into their Six’s? What are your pro-tips?
